Blog

At JVF Consulting we’re always hard at work building and re-designing websites for new clients and existing customers. As a result, we have been showing off our latest projects through a monthly newsletter that is sent out to our existing subscribers. By signing up you can not only stay informed with everything that’s happening at JVF Consulting, but receive special announcements and offers. Take a peek at our current newsletter for the month of November!

For those of you already subscribed to our feedburner account, you can still follow us through our RSS feed, or through our Twitter and Facebook pages. But for those in need of the of our full version emailed directly to you, the newsletter is a the best option. The e-mail address you provide will be used only to send you the newsletter; we won’t share it with anyone. Your privacy is important to us.

To sign up for the JVF Newsletter follow these steps:

1. Visit the email subscription request page. Subscribe To The JVF Newsletter
2. Enter your email address in the first box.
3. Next, type the text you see into the second box, then press "Complete Subscription Request".
4. Within a couple minutes you will receive an email asking you to confirm the subscription. Simply click the link found in your email, and you're all done! Thanks for allowing us to share our technology with you!

The iPhone leads the mobile market and is the fastest growing mobile platform on the market today. Why not gain valuable market share and grow your business and brand by utilizing the power of iPhone applications! If you’re looking to enhance your user experience, engage customers, and grow your profits, JVF Consulting has the skills and innovation to build your company a world-class mobile application. Our dedicated team of professional developers are geared up with the latest tools and technology to ensure your application’s success in this fast growing marketplace.

Established in 2004, JVF Consulting has built cutting-edge mobile and web solutions for our clients that has generated unprecedented value. We focus on solutions using the latest technology, allowing tools to work across an ever-changing variety of platforms, integrating seamlessly to any type of back-end database driven system. When necessary we will work with your IT teams to build the web services that interact with your core information or communication systems.

JVF can work with you to get your app into the hands of millions of iPhone & iPad users worldwide. If you're currently at the concept stage we can consult with you to define the structure and functional design requirements. Our extensive experience of application development, combined with our rigorous development standards, means we can bring your idea to market quickly and effectively.

So what are you waiting for? Take advantage of this mobile app phenomenon by allowing JVF Consulting to design and launch your application for the iPhone & iPad! Our creative team understands the importance of creating a highly functional app that will not only show measurable results, but generate a return on your investment. Whether you are developing a complex interactive database, or a simple tip calculator, we have the best team and the right skill-set to make sure you mobile application launches without a glitch. Contact us today for a free quote!

Google Places recently added the ability for a business to create a printable QR code for their business that takes a user to their Places Page on your mobile phone. JVF Consulting is excited to see QR codes starting to pop up at business all over the Bay Area. If you’re not familiar with QR codes, they’re a two-dimensional code barcode readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with a camera, and smartphones/iPhones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded in the barcode can be text or a URL.

When a customer scans a QR Code from their cell phone, they will immediately get reviews, comments, coupons and etc for that business. Store owners can even use the QR code in their traditional advertising such as newspaper, magazine ads, flyers and even menus. Engaging your customers and pulling offline users online, is one of the largest obstacles marketing professionals are up against. This move by Google reinforces the need for local optimization in your search marketing strategy. If you’re in need of local optimization or search engine optimization, contact JVF Consulting, we can optimize your businesses online presence!

Give it a try! Here’s the JVF Consulting QR code provided to us by Google.

Magento eCommerce is a beast of its own, and enabling it to be most efficient can require some tweaks that are not widely known that we would like to share with you. Below are two easy steps that will not only speed up your website, but increase its efficiency on your dedicated server.

Turn Magento Caching on (do not use while developing)
   1. Login to your Magento Admin
   2. go to System -> Cache Management
   3. in the dropdown box, choose “enable” and tick all the boxes, then save settings.

Compile Magento
   1. Login to your Magento Admin
   2. go to System -> Tools -> Compilation

Always remember that speed depends on many variables, if your site exists on a shared server, then you may want to think about upgrading to a dedicated machine. If you’re troubleshooting your live site, always be sure to test the impact of every step you take, then proceed accordingly. If you’re in search of hiring someone to do this for you, contact us!

One of the questions eCommerce webmasters ask us quite often is, do I need an SSL certificate for my store that accepts only PayPal? Well, the answer is No & Yes! Let us explain…

SSL certificates are needed to protect your customers information, so if your website does not collect any information, and uses only PayPal as the payment gateway, then NO, you DO NOT need an SSL certificate because all of your customers information is being passed through the PayPal website, which is already protected by their SSL. As long as you’re not storing credit & debit card details on you website, there is no need to be spend extra money on something you don’t need.

Although in some cases an SSL cert is needed for websites using certain eCommerce platforms, especially ones that use Payflow Pro. Payflow Pro is a PayPal service that allows your customers enter their payment information on an order form that you host on your server. In order to protect their information, you must install an SSL certificate.

As a webmaster you should also be aware that SSL certificates are needed for eCommerce websites that have user logins and save email addresses, names, physical addresses, and order history. In these cases the immediate savings of not purchasing an SSL cert might end up costing you much more in the long run. Remember, an SSL certificate shows your customers that you respect their privacy! If you need help purchasing and installing an SSL certificate to your websites server, contact us!